Nation Nabs Biggest Sundance Deal Ever

Fox Searchlight has closed a massive $17.5 million deal to acquire worldwide rights to “The Birth of a Nation” following its premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival where the film received multiple standing ovations.

The deal is the richest in Sundance history and Searchlight beat out numerous other contenders including The Weinstein Company, Netflix, and Sony for the picture in a heated night-long bidding battle.

Netflix reportedly offered in the realm of $20 million for the drama about the 1831 slave rebellion led by Nat Turner (Nate Parker). Parker, who also starred in “The Great Debaters” and “Beyond the Lights,” not only plays the lead but also penned and directed the project in which he invested his own money.